Sunday, February 04, 2018

Hey Neller! Put a muzzle on your fucking Generals.

via ABC News.

For the first time in 30 years, the U.S. Marine Corps will air an ad during the Super Bowl, using an online-only spot Sunday to target a young, tough, tech-savvy audience for potential recruits looking for a challenge.

The high-powered, battle-heavy, 30-second ad shows Marines deploying from ships in amphibious vehicles, dropping bombs from aircraft and hurling a shoulder-launched drone into the air.

"It's not just the ships, the armor or the aircraft. It's something more. It's the will to fight and determination to win found inside each and every Marine that answers a nation's call," the announcer says, as the camera follows a squad of Marines storming off helicopters into a mock firefight while explosions erupt around them.

The goal, said Maj. Gen. Paul Kennedy, head of the Marine Corps Recruiting Command, is to reach young men and women who have faced and conquered challenges in their life, probably played physical sports such as wrestling or rugby, and have a bit of that fighting spirit.

Network television viewers of the game won't see the Marine spot. But those watching through online streaming services — which charge a fraction of the advertising price — will see it twice.

"I'm not trying to enlist fathers or mothers, I'm trying to enlist 18- to 24-year-olds," said Kennedy. "And they tend to be cord cutters. They take in entertainment differently and they tend to do it on a device rather than a television."

In my opinion "The Battles Won" ad campaign has been lackluster at best. I was told by certain members of my audience that the ads are designed to appeal to the youth of today and that if they don't sing with me that's ok cause I'm not the target.

My response was BULLSHIT!

The Marine Corps is an institution. It's message is timeless. The call to duty is the same today as it was 50 years ago. The technology to DELIVER the message might be different but the song is the same!

If you notice I took the time to post the latest Marine Corps ad on the sidebar of my blog.

Why?

Because they got it right. They finally listened and produced a commercial in the old style that is a call to duty. A call to fight for your country. A call that did not focus on appealing to certain demographics but to all.

That ad will remain on the sidebar because it gives me hope that leadership (things are right in the fleet...there are people doing the hard thing everyday) finally got the message and would STOP trying to tailor their message to inside the beltway crowd and the morons in the Northeast corridor that would NEVER consider Marine Corps service in the first place.

So why am I bitching? Check out the above article. Wait! Don't. Let me pop out the important part.

"I'm not trying to enlist fathers or mothers, I'm trying to enlist 18- to 24-year-olds," said Kennedy.

Is Major General Kennedy fucking stupid?

Is he so ignorant that he doesn't believe that fathers and mothers are influencers?

Does he think that he can so easily dismiss them?

I don't think he is that stupid. I think he's trying to justify a limited ad buy on streaming video and not on television networks.

But the way he's doing it (if I'm right) is downright disrespectful. Better to say nothing than to stick your foot up your ass.

Two recommendations for Commandant Neller.

1. Put a muzzle on your Generals. This is the second time that I've seen one say something so fucking stupid that it makes me want to punch walls. These guys start talking to reporters (like the other bubba at a conference) and they lose fucking perspective. Either train them up or shut them down.

2. This ad is fantastic. Much, much, much better. You're halfway there but you have another step to take. You have to rebuild the relationship of Marines that have gone before with those currently serving. You also have to restore the relationship between the Marine Corps and the general public. First people on that road should be the relatives of potential recruits. If they're not on your side then recruiting will continue to be difficult.

The moves I'm seeing made are encouraging (this ad sings!).

But you gotta fix this Neller. Give me a call bro. I can walk you thru this shit.